The World Keeps Turning
by gosakurago
Summary: With Batman and Robin off on missions elsewhere, the fate of Gotham City is left to its sole protector, Batgirl.  But even the princess of the night cannot handle the entire crime-ridden city on her own.  Thankfully, she may not have to... /A big thank you to fantasy93 for the artwork based off my fic, which she was kind enough to let me use as the book cover! :DD/
1. The Bat and the Arrow

Thanks for taking the time to read my fic! It's my first one, and it is a total crack!fic, so go easy on me, fandom! I just REALLY needed something to do during this hiatus XD Don't forget to leave me a review. Thanks! :D

Thank you to racerabbit for beta-ing and test-reading for me!

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters or the show Young Justice. If i did, there wouldnt be so many freaking hiatuses... :C

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><p><em><strong>Chapter 1:<strong>_

**The Bat and the Arrow**

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><p><strong>Monday, July 19<strong>

Barbara Gordon had no idea that history could be so boring. The subject had never exactly been her forte, but she had never had so much trouble staying awake during a class before. I mean, come on! How on earth can anyone sit in a sterilized eggshell-white room with a pudgy balding man who only knows how to speak in monotone, AND NOT GO COMPLETELY INSANE? The majority of Gotham Academy's students say that they prefer this type of classroom because rooms made from brick remind them too much of a prison. Barbara would've preferred that. Jail didn't scare her; her dad threatened to lock her up all the time, especially when report cards came out. But this was a different story. The four plain walls surrounding her made her constantly feel on edge. They were just… too clean. Too empty. Too much like Arkham Asylum. The creepy cackling, the incessant murmuring, the psychotically blissful 'residents': just the thought of it all made Barbara's skin crawl. No, prison didn't scare her, but Arkham sure did. Thankfully, this was just extra summer sessions, so there weren't many classes she had to suffer through right now. Plus, she could get through those other classes without too much trouble because she would constantly keep herself busy with taking notes or doing homework that was due next period. But history, _history_, is just too BORING. Even note-taking was too difficult of a task for Barbara as the teacher's dull and dreary voice caused her to slowly zone out. That's when thoughts of that madmen's home would slowly leak into her brain, spreading down her spine and throughout her body with the memory of a single malicious cackle…

The sound of muffled snickering swiftly jolted Barbara back into reality. Glancing over at the desk to the right, she saw her ebony-haired friend desperately holding in his laughter as he scribbled all over his notebook. Her curiosity getting the better of her, she leaned over slightly to get a better look at… whatever he was doing. _It beats listening to the rest of the class snore_, she thought to herself as one of the passed-out students sitting behind her started mumbling something about carnivorous bacon. The boy next to her looked up as she moved closer, and a grin tugged at his lips. His blue eyes were shining with pride as he puffed out his chest and turned the notebook towards her to show off his masterpiece.

Displayed on the lined paper in front of her was a crude illustration of their mentor, and Barbara decided right there and then that only Dick Grayson had enough guts to draw the Dark Knight striking an extremely feminine pose in a ball gown with giant, glittering eyes, blowing a kiss in her direction. A word bubble was formed above the caricature's head with the words "_Hey there, Superman. Want a little kiss?_" written in incredibly girly handwriting. Barbara practically broke down into a fit of laughter as she clamped both hands over her mouth in a desperate attempt to stay silent.

Dick's trademark grin widened, and a mischievous glint formed in his eyes as he pulled the notebook back, flipped the page, and began scribbling vigorously. After only a few short moments of doodling, he stole a quick glance at the teacher to make sure he wasn't watching before passing the notebook over to his fellow sidekick. Barbara's smile instantly melted into a frown at the sight of the new sketch. Positioned in the center of the paper was a small caricature of herself dressed in her Batgirl costume fawning over an excessively buff Robin. He had even gone as far as giving her miniature-self hearts for eyes and drool dripping from her mouth. _Not_ funny.

Dick, on the other hand, seemed to find her expression unbearably hilarious as he looked as if he were about to explode with laughter. He collapsed onto his desk with both arms wrapped around his stomach, his shoulders shaking as he fought off the urge to guffaw out loud. That's when an idea hit her, and an evil smirk spread across her lips. She quickly reached for her phone, flipped the page back to the Batman sketch, and snapped a photo. Dick's grin faded in an instant when he looked up to see what she was doing, and an expression of pure horror spread across his face.

"Now then, I wonder if dear old Brucie would find this as amusing as you did," Barbara whispered to the now terrified Boy Wonder. She smirked as she watched his expression become increasingly grim.

"N-no, you wouldn't dare!" he managed to quietly stammer out in response, before adding as an afterthought, "You wouldn't _really_… right? Babs?"

She gave him a single wicked grin, one that quite obviously said "_Just try me, Boy Blunder_", and then proceeded to pack up her things as the school bell sounded_. I won't send it to Bats just yet,_ she thought with a small giggle, _It could come in handy later on_. She stood up and walked out the door, leaving Dick scrambling up after her.

"Wait, Barbara, you didn't answer my question! Seriously, this is so not funny! Babs- _Barbara_!"

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><p>"Baaaaaaaaaaaabs, you caaaaan't! He will seriously kill me! I'm not even kidding, and you know it's true! Barbara! BARBARA!"<p>

Barbara groaned. Dick had been whining at her for the past five minutes straight. She could've sworn that he hadn't even bothered to breathe in between complaints.

"Baaaaaaaabs! BAAAAAAAAAAAAABS!"

"Dick,"

"Yeah?"

"Stop calling my name. You sound like a sheep."

He made a face and stuck his tongue out at her. "What was that, BAAAAAA-BAAAA-ra?" That evil smirk of his returned as he proceeded to "baaa" at her for the next minute, the blackmail photo long forgotten. They followed the mob of students down the hallway and out the front gate of their school as he continued to show off his accurate impression of a farm animal. You'd think that, with as much time as they've spent together during the past couple of years, she would be used to this by now. But instead, her brain was screaming at the top of its imaginary lungs, "_MAKE IT STOPPPP!"_ She let out an exasperated sigh, and couldn't help but smile as she watched her friend stroll happily along.

"Hey, Dick," she said a bit hesitantly, "Do you want to come over to my place for a bit?" She wasn't really sure why she was nervous. It's not like he had never been to her house before. In fact, he used to come over after school quite a lot, usually either to study for some big test, or just to get away from his "dad" for a bit. After all, being the adopted son of the world's most famous billionaire wasn't as easy as it sounded, especially when that billionaire is also Gotham's most famous hero. Barbara understood that he just needed to get away from it all sometimes, so she was always happy to have him over. She was always there for him, and he was always there for her. Sometimes they would go out on patrol, just the two of them, trying to escape the world together as they leapt from rooftop to rooftop. But lately, he'd become much more… _focused_. It wasn't that he was more serious or even any less fun-loving, but rather than wanting time away from his superhero life like he used to, he started spending all of his time training, patrolling, or going on as many missions with Batman as possible. Just a few weeks prior, he was accepted as an official member of the Justice League, although that was all she knew about the situation. It was weird that he wouldn't explain anything more to her, since he never used to keep secrets. At least… not from her. Now, she couldn't even remember the last time he had come over to hang out, or even just walk her home. So part of her felt that asking him to come over was nothing but wasted breath. The other part of her couldn't help but agree.

While Barbara's mind was overflowing with all these thoughts, Dick answered her question without missing a beat. "Sorry, can't. Got a prior engagement with Bats."

_Of course you do. When _don't_ you?_ She couldn't help but be annoyed with him. His answer was just too quick, like her offer wasn't even worth considering for just a second. But she forced herself to keep her mouth shut, and instead responded with a wry smile, "You and Bats are engaged? Why didn't you tell me? Well, congratulations!"

The look on his face was absolutely priceless. It was a melting pot of emotions: horror, shock, disgust, all mixed together for one victorious moment for Barbara. "Wha- I mean- No, tha-that's not-," he stammered out before regaining his cool. "You _know_ that's not what I meant! I'm meeting with some people from the League, alright?" he added briefly before making an abrupt turn down one of Gotham's many suspicious back alleys. Without bothering to turn and face her, he stuck one hand in his pants' pocket and lazily lifted the other one in the air to give her some sort of half-hearted farewell. "I gotta go. See ya."

_Uuugh. He's ignoring me again,_ she vented inwardly before letting a small smirk breech her lips, _And we really can't have that, now can we?_

"So," she called out as he swaggered away from her, "When's the wedding?"

Dick froze in place, and Barbara could've sworn she'd seen a shiver run up his spine. A marriage between The Dark Knight and Boy Wonder could _not_ be a pretty image. He whipped around about-face to give her some sort of snarky comeback, but she was already gone. He let out an exasperated sigh, but a smile quickly spread across his face. He turned back down the dark alley, and a quiet laugh escaped his lips. "Anyone who says that _I'm_ some sort of ninja has obviously never met Batgirl before."

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><p>"Ugh! I just don't get it!" Barbara dropped the history book she was struggling to make sense of onto the table and collapsed on top of it. She had spent the past two hours sitting in this diner trying to study the stupid subject, and she was getting nowhere. <em>Why do I even bother? It's just summer sessions anyway!<em> But she knew that all of this would be necessary knowledge for her if she wanted to pass history class next year. History _really_ wasn't her thing. Barbara's fiery red hair fell across her face, curtaining her off from the rest of the world as she slowly dozed off on her make-shift pillow. _That's all this stupid textbook is good for, anyway…_

"I've told you once, I'll tell you twice: you need more sleep, Babs," said a light-hearted voice to her left. Smiling slightly, she lifted her head as the owner of the voice set a fresh cup of tea in front of her. The man standing beside her booth was tall and firmly built, except for his large pot belly. He had a bald spot forming on top of his head that he attempted to cover with a comb over. Deep wrinkles were ingrained in the corners of his eyes from years of cheerful smiles and hearty laughter, and there was an ever-present twinkle in his eye that, despite the lack of facial hair, always made children swarm to him with the firm belief that he was Santa Claus. The man gave her a smile, and with a warm laugh he added to his earlier comment, "But you know, I'm pretty sure that I've already told you this far too many times to count, and it has yet to do a lick of good."

With a little laugh, Barbara pulled the cup of tea towards her and tipped it to her lips. Earl Grey, plenty of milk, no sugar: just the way she liked it. "Oh, Uncle Pete, you really do know me all too well," she told the man with a sigh.

Uncle Pete replied with another genuine, hearty laugh, "Are you talking about how I know your sleeping habits, or how I know exactly how you like your tea?" He pushed her book to the side and placed a plate of filet mignon and potatoes in front of her. The overwhelming aroma wafting her way almost made her drool, and she realized that it was already 8 pm and she had yet to eat dinner. "On the house, my dear," he told quickly her as she opened her mouth to object, "You're dad's working late again tonight, right? And since Bruce and Dick are off on another one of their, ah… _business trips_, you've got a long night of work, as well, don't ya?" He gave her a wink before walking off to take another customer's order.

Barbara sighed again. She didn't like taking free meals from Uncle Pete when she was able to pay, but she decided not to look a gift horse in the mouth and quickly dug into the meal. Uncle Pete's Home Cooking Diner was a decent sized restaurant located in central Gotham. Great food for a great price was enough to hook anyone, but Uncle Pete himself was the diner's real attraction. He knew _everything_. Sometimes Barbara wondered if he knew even more than Batman. Because of his keen observational skills and extensive knowledge, the diner had become a pretty popular place for people who had something to hide. You'd think that people with secrets would stay as far away from him as they could in fear that he would find out, but it was the opposite. He'd find out your secret before you even met him, so there was no point in running away. For heroes who would have to run off without paying, he'd understand why and just put the meal on their tab. For criminals and crooks that have no place to stay when it's raining, he'd let them come in and sit, and even give them a free cup of coffee or a hot bowl of soup. Because of his graciousness to everyone despite knowing all of their deepest, darkest secrets, his diner became a sort of 'no-man's land', a place where neither hero nor crook would ever dare to start a fight. It was possibly the safest and most welcoming place in all of Gotham, and that's exactly why Barbara spent so much time here.

In less than ten minutes, the entire plate of food had been devoured, leaving Barbara fully content. She leaned back in her booth and gave a soft, satisfied sigh. There weren't many people left in the restaurant, so Uncle Pete was just happily chatting away with a few regulars sitting on the opposite side of the room. That wasn't a good sign for her; it meant that all of the local crooks were out on a "shopping spree". It was going to be a long night. Barbara placed her history book into her backpack and slid out from behind the table. With a nod to Uncle Pete, she tossed the pack over one shoulder and made a bee-line for the employee changing room in the back of the building. Uncle Pete had given both her and Robin free-use of the changing room. He even left the back unlocked so that they could leave and retrieve their things as they pleased, no matter how late or how early it was.

She locked the door to the changing room and unzipped the second deepest pocket of her backpack. Reaching in, she pulled out her black and yellow costume and proceeded to stash the bag into a small nook hidden behind a few loose bricks. She had hoped to find Dick's belongings within the secret compartment, holding onto the chance that another hero was out there as well, but it was empty except for a small slip of paper stuck under a rock. Barbara didn't even need to see the chicken-scratch writing to know that it was from Uncle Pete. He often left them messages in here, particularly things that he feels are too dangerous to mention in public. But this message wasn't anything like that; in fact, Barbara wasn't even really sure what he meant. Scrawled on the strip of notebook paper were six words and a winking smiley: "Be nice to the new guy ;)". _What_ new guy? There's _never_ a new hero in this city! She sighed for what felt like the hundredth time that day, pulled down her cowl, and walked out the door into the cool night air. _It's going to be a very, very long night._

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><p>After two burglaries, five muggings, and an attempted suicide, a hostage situation was the last thing Barbara needed, particularly when it's two in the morning and the 'hostage' is a pet goldfish. <em>This city is getting weirder and weirder every day<em>, she mentally noted as she dumped the rescued fishbowl into its owner's arms and the fish-napper into the police's car. Firing her grappling hook, she swung off to the only section of the city she had yet to patrol. _Almost done, almost done, almost done_, she repeatedly chanted to herself, over and over and over. She was so close to home, so, so close…

That's when she heard the gun fire. The sound was subtle, but as always, it echoed through the streets and back alleys until it mimicked the sound of a machine gun. _Oh, come on!_ With an aggravated sigh, she ran from roof to roof in the direction of the commotion. The normal situation was what she expected to find: desperate men trying to scare innocent bystanders into handing over their valuables or just the normal in-gang arguments getting out of hand again. But as Batgirl perched atop a low-level roof to get a grasp on which scenario was unfolding in the dimly lit alley below, the first thing she sees is a streak of red and yellow as a big, bulky thug is knocked to the ground by a whizzing crimson arrow. As the gun flew out of his hand, another arrow shot straight through the tough metal and pinned the weapon to the wall. The brightly colored man moved with such speed, she was almost convinced that it was one of Central City's super-speedsters. The problem with that guess is that they don't carry weapons. The entire scene took Barbara by complete and utter surprise. She really hadn't expected this. At all. Well, okay, she got the gang part right, at least. All five men bore the exact same tattoo, one that she had come to know quite well after the past couple of years of hauling their butts into her dad's police station night after night. What she hadn't expected after hearing the gunshot was that the gang had been trying to mug a young woman, who was now cowering behind a trashcan, and even more unbelievably, that someone had actually _saved her_. Normally, the gang was intimidating enough that they wouldn't even have to take out the gun to get whatever they wanted, let alone have to fire it. The only reason they would've fired a shot would be that somebody stepped up to help the woman and protected her from her harassers, which never, _ever_, happens in Gotham. Not unless that protector is a superhero.

The woman's savior was probably the most confusing part for Barbara, starting with the fact that she knew with absolute certainty that he was _not_ from Gotham. She surveyed the hero as he notched four arrows in his bow and sent them flying all at once. Not a single one missed its mark, and the thugs were either electrocuted with a low voltage or netted against a wall before they even realized that he had fired his weapon. Batgirl couldn't help but admire his marksmanship, even though his tackily colored costume made him stick out like a sore thumb. It's kind of an unspoken rule of Gotham City's night life: always go for black, never color. But that's not the reason that she knew he was from out of town. No, it's because he's famous. Like her, he works as the sidekick of an important member of the Justice League, and just a few weeks ago, he started a big commotion at the Hall of Justice. Barbara didn't know much more than that since any other details would've come from Robin, who of course was there but wouldn't tell her about it. _Stupid Bird Boy…_

The archer was having a bit more trouble now. One of the now-unconscious brutes must have called for help, because the hero was now surrounded by a mob of twenty or thirty butt-ugly men. The gang swarmed around him and all at once came in for an attack. They came to regret this move pretty quickly, though, as the archer abandoned the few remaining arrows in his quiver and proceeded to beat the living daylights out of the first few unlucky individuals to come in contact with him. Seven unconscious tattooed thugs later, the gang's leader called them to pull back, but not before the quite obviously pissed off hero punched out two more of his lackeys. Barbara had to hand it to him, the guy really knew how to throw a punch, and those archery-trained arms of his are definitely well-suited to it. But it wasn't enough. One goon took advantage of the moment and ripped the bow out of his hand while he wasn't looking. Another two men grabbed him and held him back by the arms, though they needed another two pairs of hands in order to properly restrain him. The mob parted slightly to allow their leader to come through, who sneered down at the practically defenseless red-head before landing a firm and ruthless punch right to in his gut. But he wasn't done yet; he wanted full retribution. So the abuse continued, punch after punch after punch.

Barbara was preparing to enter the battlefield when she suddenly heard footsteps matched with gravely voices coming her way. Masterly blending into the shadows, she spied silently as two more gangsters heaved themselves up the ladder from the side of the building and onto the rooftop. Hoisted on their shoulders were two heavy duty, military-grade, and quite obviously smuggled rifles. Stomping loudly across the roof, they reached the ledge and started to get into position.

"Do we really need _two_ of these big honkin' things for this job?" griped one of the men, "I mean, com'on! It's just one kid dressed in tights!"

"I kno', I kno'. But the bossman doesn't wanna take any chances. He may be justa kid, but he could be trouble for us later on. And besides, it just means we getta play with these big boys for a little." He raised the gun to take aim.

A batarang whirred threw the air, colliding with the gunman's pudgy fingers and sending the rifle skidding across the rough cement. He let out a yelp of surprise and pain as he squeezed his swelling hand with his good one. Batgirl materialized from the darkness, terrifying the burly men for a second. "I've had about enough of this," she snarled out loud, more to herself than to the opponents standing in front of her. Both men instantly turned their guns on her, but it was all in vain. She sent a second batarang flying at them, and they didn't even have time to react. The weapon split into two pieces with one long cord running between them. The cord caught hold of the men and tightly bound the thugs together, wrapping around them like a two-headed snake constricting its prey. Confused and disoriented, the men staggered around on the ledge and nearly fell off when they noticed Batgirl standing just behind them, glaring fiercely the way only a Bat could.

"Now get off my roof." One kick. That's all it took to send both full-grown men soaring through the air before they solidly collided with three more of their fellow creeps.

The battle froze in unanimous surprise and perplexity until one thug caught a glimpse of her black and gold cape fluttering in the wind. Pointing straight up at her, he cried out, "Look! There! It's Batg—"

Ha! Like she was actually going to let him finish. Before she attracted too much attention, she tossed a small sphere into the crowd and watched as the alley overflowed with large billows of dark grey smoke. While the gangsters were preoccupied with coughing and hacking their lungs out, Batgirl leapt from the rooftop and dove into the dark clouds. Thanks to that gaudy outfit of his, Barbara was easily able to pick the struggling archer out from the mass of wheezing bodies and made a bee-line straight for him. "Let's go, Arrow Boy," she hissed at him, trying to breathe in as little smoke as possible. With a firm grip on his sturdy arm, she practically dragged the hero out of the smoke-screen and dove behind a large, metal dumpster farther down the alley.

They both gasped at the taste of fresh air. Their backs slammed against the backside of the dumpster, and both heroes' knees gave way as they slid down the cool metal until they collapsed onto the ground.

"How… how much time… will this stuff give us?" the archer managed to pant out in between coughs. He let his head fall back against the dumpster wall with a soft thud as he fought to regain his breath.

Barbara wasn't doing too hot herself. She forgot how strong Bats had made that stuff. Breathing hard, she did her best to sound as unaffected as possible, "About… 30 seconds. Maybe 40… if… we're lucky."

_BANG, BANG, BANG!_ They could feel the vibrations against their backs as the fired bullets ricocheted off the hard metal of the dumpster. An enraged war cry rose from behind them, followed by four more gun shots. _BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG!_

Batgirl groaned. "Make that 5 seconds." The number of shots being fired was quickly increasing, until they couldn't even hear their own voices without shouting. Guess the smoke wasn't quite as strong as she had thought. "By the way, aren't you a bit far from home, Speedy?" she shouted to the archer, "Last I checked, this was Gotham, not Star City."

The scarlet archer frowned at her sarcastic comment. "Star City isn't _my_ home, it's Green Arrow's," he yelled over the roaring gunfire. He took a second to size her up before guessing, "Batgirl, I presume?"

Barbara gave a small scoff as she spread out her arms so he had a full view of her costume, "What was your first clue?" The archer's scowl deepened. _Oh yeah, _he's_ a cheerful one. I think he frowns even more than Batman._

Speedy's attention was already focused back on the problem at hand. "Why don't they just come at us? They've got us cornered."

"Because I'm _Bat_girl, duh," she replied blatantly as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, "Any criminal with even the slightest bit of common sense or instinctual fear is afraid of the Bats."

Speedy gave a small groan. _Oh joy,_ he thought to himself, _A little flying rodent with an over-inflated ego. _ He trained his ears toward the assault as he attempted to estimate the number of guns trying to turn them into Swiss cheese. He couldn't. Not a good sign. "Couldn't you have just used sleeping gas instead of smokescreen and saved us the trouble of…" he waved an arm dramatically in the direction of the onslaught, "…all _this_?"

"Huh, good idea," she replied dryly, "Except that I ran out about _two hours ago_. What's _your_ excuse, Hotshot?"

He scowled sourly at this new nickname, but turned his face away with a small huff. "Same here," he admitted grouchily. "Honestly, we wouldn't even be in this mess if you hadn't interrupted and then dragged me deeper into the alley rather than out of it!" he yelled. His voice was getting louder and louder with each word, though he was unsure whether this was due to the racket those goons were making or just from sheer annoyance. It had already been a really long day, and now this girl was starting to make his blood boil.

"Don't be stupid!" Barbara snapped back, "That would've done nothing but bring the fight out into the street where there are more civilians who could get hurt! Not to mention that woman you tried to save earlier. She was still over there. By going this way, I bought her some time to escape."

"_Tried_ to save?" he shouted incredulously, "You must be joking. I had everything under control!"

She scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Sure you did, Hotshot. That's why you let them take your bow from you, right? 'Cause you _definitely_ had it all under control while they were beating the crap out of you."

Speedy paused at this comment, and seemed to realize that he was on the losing end of this argument. They fell into silence as they each tried to think of a way out of their current situation_. Maybe we should just wait until they run out of ammo._ Speedy had a feeling that would take awhile, though. They'd looked pretty loaded down with weapons and ammunition. _Pit pat_. Rain started to drip slowly from the sky, steadily quickening until it was an outright downpour_. Great,_ thought Speedy, _just what I needed. I'm stuck in a typhoon with a miniature Bat, being bombarded by bullets, and without my bow. Just super._ Then it hit him, and his eyes widened with realization. He knew exactly how to get out of this. "My bow," he shouted to Batgirl, "I've got four trick arrows left, and that's more than enough to take these guys out. All I need is my _bow_." Speedy knew that if Batgirl was anything like Robin, she'd have no trouble speeding through the mob and retrieving his weapon.

Batgirl glanced up at him looking incredibly unimpressed. "So? Go get it then. I thought you said you could handle this yourself?"

"You're still on that?"

"Oh, believe me Arrow Boy, I know how to hold a grudge. But of course you could always try asking for my assistance, rather than just expecting me to concede."

His face fell, and he let out a long groan of defeat, before grudgingly mumbling out in monotone, "Will you help me?"

"Say please."

"Oh, you have got to be freakin' kidding me!" He glared hard at her, before letting out a sigh of resignation. "Fine! You win! Please just friggin' help me already so we can be done with these morons!"

Batgirl gave him a smirk. "Now was that so hard?"

Speedy turned away and gave a smothered agitated sigh in an attempt to keep his temper under control. "It's a good thirty yards away. You sure you can do—" He turned back just in time to see a flash of black and yellow as his new ally sped out into the warzone, "—it."

The mob completely froze at first site of the costumed girl. After the gang recovered from their split second of shock (_I guess they really are terrified of the Bats, after all_), the vibrations resonating through the metal dumpster died out as the gunfire began to chase its new target. But as he peered around his giant barrier, Speedy immediately knew that they never even stood a chance. Even the heavy rain and blowing winds seemed to be no match for the heroine. Quickly zipping around the first dozen useless gunmen, the girl propelled herself into the air using one man's head as leverage and somersaulted over the remaining thugs. Landing firmly on her feet in front of his bow, she wasted no time in dashing back to her starting point while the moronic thugs were still baffled on how she got past them. With a single leap, she was over the dumpster, landing gracefully in a crouching position in front of him. _She _must_ be a gymnast,_ Speedy noted to himself, just in case he needed that little tidbit for later.

Barbara couldn't help the cocky grin emerging on her face after seeing the surprised, and possibly even a bit impressed, look on the archer's face when she returned to his side. "So," she began, offering the bow to him, "What were you saying?"

He just grumpily rolled his eyes in response, though not without a hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. Somehow, Barbara felt more accomplished from making this Scrooge smile even a little than she did from retrieving the bow through an onslaught of bullets. He took the weapon from her hands, the tension in his shoulders visibly loosening as his fingers wrapped possessively around the grip. It's not uncommon for heroes to attach a sense of security to their favored weapon, particularly when that weapon is their base skill.

"So, where's my 'thank you'?" she said with a proud smirk as she watched the archer get reacquainted with his bow.

He looked back up at her, his trademark pout reappearing on his features. "Seriously? Can you at least wait 'til we get out of this mess before you start demanding retribution?"

Barbara cocked her head playfully. He was so easy to irritate, it was just too much fun. "All I was asking for was simple thanks. But if you really feel like you want to pay me back, be my guest."

Speedy scoffed. "Sure, 'cause that's totally going to happen." He turned his back to her as he surveyed the wreckage she had caused the gang. It wasn't a lot, but it seemed to be more than enough to unsettle their focus. _Maybe I could take advantage of this and…_

"Great, you owe me dinner then."

Speedy instantly jerked back around at the sound of her peppy reply. "What the hell? I was being _sarcastic_!"

"Hotshot, could you at least wait until we get out of this mess before you starting whining again_?" Oh, he really is too easy,_ thought Barbara smugly as she watched him steam at her curt response. She really was having too much fun.

Grumbling, the archer pulled an arrow from his quiver and notched it in his bow. The pouring rain would've made aiming accurately nearly impossible for anyone else, but Speedy had shot in worse. "If this goes right, it should all be over without much mess. But there may be a few stragglers, so be ready." With that, he took aim and fired.

A single arrow whizzed through the air, closely followed by two more that appeared to be headed in the same direction. A few yards away from colliding with the grotesque face of the gang leader, the two follow-up arrows suddenly arched outward and directed themselves at either side of the mob of brutes.

"Um, did you mean to do that, or does your aim just really suck?" asked a somewhat lost Barbara.

"Just shut up and watch," he growled back at her. One of his eyebrows was twitching slightly, betraying his attempt to remain visibly calm and unbothered.

Barbara turned back just in time to see all three arrows meet contact with the ground rather than the gangsters. She was about to comment on the fact that he really did have terrible aim after all when she suddenly realized what he was doing. The arrows remained dormant for a moment before letting off a bright sparks and sending currents of raw electrical energy coursing through the water surrounding the arrows. The currents didn't travel far enough to reach the heroes' safety zone, but they did one hell of a number on the gang members. The tattooed thugs let out anguished cries as the electricity flowed through their bodies and collapsed into the very puddle that had just sealed their defeat. She turned back to see an incredibly cocky archer glancing sideways at her, waiting for her comment.

"Told you four arrows were more than enough," Speedy quipped, his voice obviously inflated with pride. Brushing off his legs, he stood up straight and turned to walk out from behind their trash can barricade. "An entire gang on their knees, and I still have one taser arrow left to spar—"

Right on cue, a single bulky hand grabbed hold of the archer's collar and yanked him out from behind the dumpster, simultaneously cutting off his boast and ripping the worn-out cloth of his costume. Batgirl didn't miss a beat as she catapulted herself over the metal dumpster and performed a perfect flip in the air before introducing the attacker to her black, leather, high-heeled boot. The man fell unconscious immediately upon impact with the kick and hit the ground with a heavy thud, dropping the crimson hero onto the pavement.

Barbara gave her ally a satisfied smirk. "I'm sorry, I couldn't hear you over the sound of me kicking ass. Were you saying something?"

Speedy grumbled as he pulled himself up off the ground, pushing away the helping hand Batgirl had offered him. A few more thugs groaned and shifted as they regained consciousness, and soon they were back on their feet. The archer shifted his eyes to meet Batgirl's glance and let out a small sigh. He swooped one arm out dramatically. "Shall we?"

Barbara just gave him a smirk, and the two young vigilantes charged headfirst into the battlefield.

* * *

><p>"So," Barbara yelled to her comrade as she side-kicked one thug in the gut and sent him flying, "You never did tell me what you're doing here in Gotham."<p>

"I wasn't aware that I _needed_ to tell you," he grumbled back, punching out a crook on his side of the battlefield. "Although," he paused to dodge the crook's haymaker, then hip-tossed the man into the ground before continuing, "I suppose I do owe you _that_ much…"

"Oh, so you've finally admitted that you owe me?" she said with a smirk, "A little warning, Hotshot; I _always_ expect compensation for my favors."

_Greeeaaatt. Day One, and I'm already in debt with Bat Midget._ "I'll keep that in mind," he mumbled in response as he kneed a second thug in the nose.

"So? What are you doing here?"

Speedy gave a small huff of resignation and punched his third and only remaining opponent square in the jaw, knocking him unconscious, before turning around to watch the young girl struggle with her remaining two thugs. He gave a small smirk as he leaned back against the grubby alley wall, his arms folded comfortably across his chest. He decided to take advantage of this beautiful moment: the arrogant baby bat still flailing around while he was already done and just sitting back watching her squirm. "Aren't you done yet, runt? Come on, hurry u—_oh shit!_"

His smug comment was cut off by the two deadweights that used to be gang members plummeting straight into him and toppling him to the ground. With a groan, the archer rubbed the back of his aching neck and shoved one of the 300 pound men off his stomach. Looking up, he saw Batgirl sashay her way over and stoop down at his side with a cocky grin clearly displayed on her features. "_Now_ I'm done," she told him, a mischievous glint sparkling in her blue eyes. Speedy pushed himself off the ground and the two heroes rose to their feet.

He turned his stony glare on her and stepped in close until she was forced to crane her neck way back in order to look him in the eye. Barbara had seen people try this little trick countless times before. Humiliated men seemed to think it was a clever way to mask their insecurities or something. But it was really just an attempt to retain their dignity by making her feel like the small, helpless girl everyone else thought she was. And as usual, it did nothing but fire her up and piss her off.

She fixed her fiery gaze on him and stared him right in the eye (or in this case, right in the mask). "Well?" she demanded icily, sounding as intimidating as she could, "Why are you here?"

Speedy didn't respond, holding his stare steady and unrelenting. Suddenly, he shifted his weight and lifted up one muscular arm from his side. He delicately rested his gloved hand on her cheek, so lightly that she could barely feel the touch. But it still made Barbara freeze and sent her mind into a whirlwind of confusion. She felt his thumb gently brush the soft skin of her cheek, followed by a sharp pain.

"Looks like you didn't completely avoid _every_ bullet, after all," he mumbled softly, "You got grazed by one here."

"W-what are you-" she stammered as she slapped his hand away and felt the injury for herself. It was true, she _had_ slipped up and nearly been hit. _I'm really getting sloppy, _she groaned inwardly, _Stupid, _stupid_ Barbara._ She looked back up at the archer, his eyes studying hers intensely. "It's just a scratch," she grunted, her pride as a gymnast somewhat wounded, "Now, _why are you here?_" She gave him her best Bat glare in hopes that he might fold. The two vigilantes stood silently in the alley for a solid minute without breaking eye contact.

That's when he started laughing. Not just some quiet chuckle or sarcastic mock. He just suddenly burst into whole-hearted laughter, stumbling back as he clutched his stomach with one arm and blindly waved the other one around searching for the alley wall to support his body weight. Batgirl just stood in shock as she watched the normally grumpy archer guffaw uncontrollably. She opened her mouth to say something, but her confusion caught hold of her words and nothing came out. _There is seriously something wrong with this guy._ Her anger boiled up a bit, and she considered forcibly shutting him up, but she had a feeling that he hadn't laughed like this in a long time. _It would be nice to know what's so funny though…_

Finally overcoming his fit of laughter, Speedy straightened up again, his breathing heavy between his leftover chuckles. But when he looked up and saw the tiny girl with her hands on her hips, tapping her foot impatiently, and attempting to give him another 'intimidating' Bat glare, he nearly doubled over as he fought off another onslaught of laughter. He saw her grit her teeth in frustration and grunt out coldly, "Why. Are. You. _Here_."

Speedy looked back up at her. "Awww, that's so cute. Trying to look like Daddy-Bats, are we?" he managed to get out between snickers. Even from behind her cowl, Speedy could easily see her face turning bright red with anger and embarrassment.

"EXCUSE M—wha—you!" she spat out indignantly, "N-never mind! Just answer my question already and tell me why you're here!"

Speedy just kept laughing. "Seriously, you look like a newborn kitten pretending to be a lion. Or maybe a baby owl dressed up like a pterodactyl."

"_Would you stop changing the subject already!"_

The archer gave her an evil smirk. "Payback's a _real_ bitch, ain't it, _Baby Bat_?"

"_WHAT THE _HELL_ DID YOU JUST CALL ME?"_

Their argument was cut short by the sound of police sirens resonating through the streets of Gotham, growing louder with every passing second. _That lady we saved must have called the police,_ thought Barbara.

"Perhaps we should take this conversation elsewhere," Speedy suggested, his smile already replaced by his usual grimace, "After all, you're a vigilante of the night, and the police are just _way_ too annoying for me to handle."

Batgirl begrudgingly nodded in agreement and climbed her way up the dumpsters and ledges until she landed firmly on the roof, Speedy only a few steps behind her. Taking off across the rooftops, the two heroes leapt from ledge to ledge away from the sirens. "So," Batgirl called back to her companion, who had surprisingly managed to keep up with her pace despite being from out of town, "You're actually going to answer my question this time?"

A small smirk returned to his face. "Yeah, I think I've had my fun for now."

'_For now'? What, this guy actually has fun more than just once a century?_ Barbara came to a halt, feeling that they were far enough away from that alley. Turning back to face the archer, she repeated for what felt like the twelve-thousandth time that night, "Alright, Speedos, why are you here?"

The archer frowned. _She really knows how to pick the worst nicknames, doesn't she?_ He sighed in defeat, and finally started his explanation, "Well, in short, everyone was able to find me a little too easily, and all they ever did when they found me was try to convince me to come back and join their little 'Junior Justice League'. So, I decided it was time to move on, find somewhere else to protect. Gotham is always swamped with crime, and with Robin off working with the Team, I thought this place could use some help." He looked down at his small companion and let out a breath, "There. Satisfied?"

The girl just blinked at him, then replied, "Umm… no. What are you talking about? Aren't you Green Arrow's sidekick?"

"NO," he snapped suddenly, "I am—_was_, his partner. Not sidekick. _Part-ner_."

"Ok, ok. You were his _partner_," she corrected herself, "But why the past-tense? Since when were you going solo?" Then it hit her. "It was the fourth of July, wasn't it?" she realized. It was that day that the four sidekicks had been accepted into the League, the same day that Speedy had supposedly started some sort of argument.

The archer looked at her a bit quizzically. "Didn't you hear about it? I thought you were supposed to be pretty close with Robin."

"Yeah," she mumbled to herself, "So did I…"

Speedy studied her somber expression, and decided it was best to stay off that topic. "Well, basically, the League lied to us when they said we were to be full-fledged members. They were trying to baby us, and just treated us like children. It was no different than before. And well, I got pissed and left."

It was all starting to click into place in Barbara's mind now. "And this… 'Junior Justice League' thing? What is that all about?"

He gave a sigh and ran a strong hand through his spiky hair. "The others kinda rebelled, but the League pretended to humor them by letting them form their own little 'team' that's now based at Mt. Justice. The catch is that they follow the League's orders and only go on missions given by them. Basically, it's the League's way of keeping a grip on their _sidekicks_." He spat the last word out like it was poison. It left a bad taste in his mouth. Speedy paused to let Batgirl take that all in. He wondered if he had lost her somewhere along the way, because she was kind of just staring blankly into space…

"ALL OF THIS HAPPENED, AND HE DIDN'T TELL ME A THING?" she suddenly blurted out, startling the scarlet archer. "And what the hell is with this 'Team' thing? We're busy enough here! He doesn't have time to join some 'Team'!" She was practically screaming at this point, but she didn't care. She was infuriated, and more than just a bit hurt. Dick Grayson was her friend, her _partner_; he wasn't supposed to keep anything from her. But here they were, and Robin had totally left her in the dark to wander around helplessly looking for answers. And if there was _anything_ Barbara Gordon hated, it was being left out of the loop, _especially_ when it's on purpose. She was so engulfed in her own thoughts and emotions that she almost forgot that the archer was still standing there, and realized after seeing his surprised expression that she probably could've kept those thoughts to herself, or at least not yelled them to the world. "Uh-I… sorry. It's just… it's true! You said it yourself; Gotham is overrun with crime. Over half of the police force is either corrupt or just too damn lazy to try and make a difference. This city's only help is its heroes, and there are only three of us! _Three._ That's already not enough, and now he wants to go join another team?" Her voice had risen in volume and pitch again, and her arms were becoming more and more animated as she continued ranting. "Yeah, the world needs help. But Gotham needs it _more_! It needs _us_ more! Does he think this is some kind of game or something? It's been tough enough with Batman being part of the League and having to run off all the time. Now _Robin_'s going to do the same? As good as I am, I'm still only one person; I can't protect this whole godforsaken city by myself! They can't just take off and leave the fate of Gotham entirely in my hands!" She ended her rant there. There wasn't much more she could add. "Sorry," she said again, "you probably just think I'm being selfish."

"No, I completely agree," he told her, almost consolingly, "Actually, what surprised me was that someone actually thinks the same as me."

"You… really?"

He nodded. "To be honest, I've felt like the whole world was against me ever since I walked out on the League two weeks ago," he explained as he walked out towards the edge of the roof. "They've been treating me like a spoiled child who's just throwing a little temper tantrum and running away from home. But… that's not what this is all about." Another heavy sigh escaped his lips.

Barbara watched his shoulders slouch a little more, and she could almost feel the weight of some invisible force pressing down on the somber archer, crushing him under its overwhelming mass. Quietly, she strode across the roof to stand next to Speedy, who was staring off into the dark but starry night. She shuffled her feet and lightly clasped her hands behind her back. "Everyone… has to leave home at some point," she began slowly, thinking carefully about each word before speaking it, "It's the only way to grow up, and to actually live your own life."

"Yeah, exactly. But they just don't get it. Robin, Kid Flash, Aqualad… they never think about breaking away from their little bubble and stepping into real life," he grunted in reply, "They just don't understand that while they're in that Cave playing pretend, the cities they left behind are less protected than ever. GA always said that the Justice League's biggest flaw is that it focuses on the big, world-wide threats and leaves the 'little guys' to fend for themselves. And I believe that is as accurate as it gets." His expression saddened and his gaze moved up towards the night sky. "No matter what happens, the world keeps turning, and everything just continues to grow and change, _with _or_ without _them. And before they even realize it, they'll be completely left behind."

Batgirl didn't know how to answer that. Because he was totally right. She shifted her gaze from the archer to the scenery in front of her. The city—_her_ city—seemed to glow with the radiance of the night sky, its lights dancing in her eyes like glittering stars. It was like looking at the ocean; a perfect reflection of the glimmering heavens stretched out above them. Looking at this image, no one would ever consider it to be the most dangerous city in the world. It looked simply… divine. "Gotham… has been dubbed dangerous and demoralized," she finally spoke, breaking the silence between the two heroes, "And yes, it has an unending wave of crime and injustice, and nearly half the city is populated by shady figures. But it's _because_ of these flaws that the city is so used to turning a blind eye to destructive pasts, supplying a new beginning to those who need it." She turned on her heels and looked the archer straight in the eye, and gave him a soft but sincere smile. "So, I like to say that Gotham isn't so much a city of crime and misfortune, but rather, it's a city of _second chances_. And considering that a new beginning is exactly what you're looking for, having just broken away from the League and all… I think you'd fit in pretty well here." Speedy looked at her for a moment, and then smiled back in gratitude. And despite all the arguments he had started and the frustration that had run between them that night, Barbara Gordon was forced to admit to herself that Speedy absolutely oozed sex-appeal when he smiled.

As his smile turned into a smolder, Barbara was starting to understand what all those Speedy fangirls at her school saw in this guy. "Oh, so does that mean I have your approval, Baby Bat?" he said playfully.

Barbara groaned. _This nickname had better not catch on._ "I suggest you get out of here before I change my mind."

Speedy shrugged his shoulders, then turned and walked towards the adjacent ledge. "Well, thanks for the help. Even if I didn't need it," he grumbled back to her as he walked away, "I'm sure I'll be seeing you again soon. I think I _will_ stick around for awhile."

"Good," she replied dryly, "I need all the help I can get." She turned her back to the young hero and was preparing to leap from the roof top when she thought of something. "Oh, and Hotshot?"

The archer, poised on the edge of the roof, grudgingly turned back with a grunt, "Yeah?"

"If you really plan on going solo, get a new name. 'Speedy' just sounds a bit too… _sidekicky_."

He raised an eyebrow at her remark before rolling his eyes and scoffing back, "'Sidekicky'? Really? All those tactical skills and street smarts stored up in that brain of yours, and you couldn't come up with anything but '_sidekicky'_? Ha, right. Any more _brilliant_ words of wisdom, O knowledgeable one?"

"Yeah, now that you mention it," she replied with a smirk, "Change the outfit. Go for something… I don't know, a little _darker_. Bright colors don't exactly suit a Gotham hero." She gave him a wink before stepping off the edge and disappearing into the darkness.

Roy Harper allowed his gaze to rest on the ledge Batgirl had just vacated and sank into the depths of his own thoughts. He tugged at the fabric of his Speedy costume, rubbing the thin material between his fingers. Now that he thought about it, his costume was pretty old and outdated. He hadn't changed it once since Ollie first gave it to him three years ago. But things _were_ changing now, and he couldn't rely on his foster father anymore. He was going out on his own, and he planned on making it known to the world. And perhaps a change of wardrobe would help to enforce that. _Maybe the Bat has a point,_ he thought to himself as he leapt from the ledge and ran across the never-ending horizon of rooftops. _Not that I'd ever tell _her_ that._

* * *

><p>If you made it all the way through to the end, thank you very much for spending so much time reading my humble little fic. I really appreciate it :) Don't forget to leave a review, especially if you liked it and want me to write more. And if you want more, go ahead and suggest some characters for me to use :)) Thanks again! :DD<p> 


	2. The Bat's Night

**A/N:** To anyone actually waiting for this, I am so sorry this took so long! I lost inspiration, and then got side-tracked by my other fanfic "Long Nights". This is only a piece of what I have written, but I decided to split it up into smaller parts so that I can edit the rest still. So, I wrote this part quite awhile ago. And I have no idea when the next chapter will be out though, sorry! Anyway, thanks for the support, even though I'm struggling with this one. Enjoy, and be sure to review, especially if you liked it.

* * *

><p><strong>Wednesday, July 21<strong>

"CAMPING? That idiot isn't coming to summer school because he's too busy _camping?_" Barbara wasn't sure what pissed her off more, the chance that Dick's excuse was actually just a lie or the fact that it might just be true. She grumbled under her breath as she stomped down the sidewalk towards Gotham Academy. It was way too early in the morning for this. "Couldn't he have at least come up with something a little more _believable_?" she fumed out loud, causing a few surprised passers-by to turn and look at her. She couldn't care less if anyone heard her. Heck, she didn't care if her rant was broadcast all over Gotham. At least maybe then Bird Boy would actually get a clue as to how frustrated she was. She stopped in her tracks, stomping the ground hard with her foot and letting out an aggravated cry, "Honestly, he's such a clueless moron!"

"Uh… Hey, Babs… You ok there?" said a concerned voice from behind her. Barbara snapped out of her rage and turned to see the inside of her school's front gates, finally realizing that she had just rampaged all the way to school. A girl with long, curly, golden hair glided smoothly through the gates and across the stretch of cement that separated her and Barbara. She placed a well-manicured hand comfortingly on Barbara's shoulder. "You seem a bit… ruffled today," she said with a soft smile.

Barbara smiled and gave a quiet sigh. "Hey Bette," she responded to the sophomore, "It's nothing new. Just the same old, same old."

"Let me guess," Bette started with a roll of her clear blue eyes. She removed her hand from Barbara's shoulder and crossed her arms. "Our little 'Dickie-bird' has some exclusive business with Bruce Wayne and his 'associates' and won't be able to spend even a moment of his _precious_ time with you after school? _Again_?"

Barbara felt the corners of her mouth go up slightly. Bette always knew how to cheer her up. "Nope," she responded simply, "He went camping."

"He went—…what?"

Barbara giggled as she watched her friend blink in confusion, until she realized how much more spastic her own reaction had been compared to Bette's. "Never mind. It could be a lie, for all I know," Barbara mumbled, crossing her own arms and turning her face away.

The blonde beauty gave a sad sigh. "Well, he has been pretty secretive lately. But what I don't understand," she replied with a sort of sad smile on her face, "is why he feels he _needs_ to lie to you. I mean, you _are_ both superh—" She caught herself before she said something too reckless. "Um… I mean— …you know what I'm talking about."

Barbara simply nodded in response. Other than Bette and their own families, no one knew the true identities of Batgirl and Robin. A secret identity is a hero's _greatest_ secret, one that is only shared with the people you trust with your life. Bette figured it out on her own after she caught the two of them sneaking away during gymnastics practice. But Dick and Barbara were different; they had revealed their identities to each other on their own accord. And the fact that he hid this whole 'Team' thing and never told her about what happened to Speedy…

"Oh, yeah!" Barbara yelled out suddenly, causing Bette to jump, "I forgot to tell you yesterday. There's a new guy in town!" she said with a bright smile.

Bette's eyes widened. "Wha—Really? Wait, by 'new guy', you _do_ mean-"

Barbara grinned, "Yep. I mean I've got an extra helping hand around town now. And," she gave her friend a sly smirk, "He's not too bad on the eyes either. _Especially_ his arms."

The blonde returned her smirk and wiggled an eyebrow. "Ooo, _do_ tell," she purred excitedly.

Barbara opened her mouth to explain, but was cut off by the ring of the first school bell. Bette stuck out her lower lip in a bit of a pout. "Awww. No fair. I want to hear the juicy gossip!" She gave a big sigh before continuing, "Well, we'll just have to continue this little girl talk later. And I do expect _all_ the details," she added suggestively. With a wink in Barbara's direction, the blonde beauty took off towards her first class.

_Bette always was a sucker for a good looking guy,_ thought Barbara with a smile. She hoisted her bag higher onto her shoulder and ran towards her own first period classroom.

* * *

><p><em>One day, I will burn every history book ever made.<em> Barbara gave a sigh and leaned back in her booth. Uncle Pete's Diner was busy, as always, but none the less comfortably quiet. It was lunchtime, so the customers were far more concerned with how much food they could stuff in their faces than chatting about the latest gossip.

Across from her, Bette was jotting down notes out of her chemistry book at an unbelievable pace. "I really don't get it, Barbara," she remarked, not even looking up from her book, "How could you possibly have so much trouble with history? I mean, you've got top marks in every other class. And all you need to do in history is memorize the information. Shouldn't it be a piece of cake for you?"

Barbara picked up the glass in front of her and sipped at her smoothie. She thought about what her friend just said. "It's not so much that my brain's _unable_ to do it," she began slowly, trying to find the right words to explain herself, "But rather, it's more like it just doesn't _want_ to do it. I mean, _come on!_ Science is interesting, math requires brain-power, and the language arts are enriching. But history? _Please._ The most interesting that shit has ever gotten is when Dick graffitied my textbook and made every person in every photo a member of the Justice League!"

Bette stopped writing and glanced up long enough to scold, "Babs, watch your language. Such unseemly words do not befit a lady of Gotham Academy."

Barbara froze and let her straw drop back into the glass, her mouth gaping open in disbelief. "I cannot believe those words just came out of your mouth. Are you sick or are you an alien?"

A humorous light flickered in Bette's eye and a hint of a smile played at the corners of her lips. "I just think that all this time you spend fighting on the streets is starting to take its toll on your vocabulary. Keep it up and you'll give the rest of us Academy students a bad rep for cussing." Barbara gave a small but audible scoff and rolled her eyes. "Oh please. Since when have I cared about reputation. Besides, Gotham Academy is like the Oxford of high schools. There is absolutely no way I could sully the reputation of a place like that. "

Bette sighed and sipped at her soda. Barbara was too stubborn to argue with.

"Two cheeseburgers with bacon and a side of garlic butter mashed potatoes," suddenly came the chipper voice of Uncle Pete as he swung out from behind the counter and placed to plates stacked high with food onto the girls' table.

Barbara grinned and eyed the food hungrily. "About time, Unc' Pete! I'm starving!" She dove for the place nearest her and started her attack on the juicy burger.

Uncle Pete smiled and leaned in a little closer to the table so that they wouldn't be as easily overheard. "So, did you meet the new guy? Hope you didn't chase him off already," he started teasingly, but his tone remained serious, "This one sounds promising."

Bette's eyes widened. "That's right! You still haven't told me about him!" She leaned over the table expectantly, anticipating some good gossip on a hot guy. Handsome men were truly Bette's only kryptonite. "And like I said earlier," she continued with narrowed eyes and a sly smirk, "I want _all_ the details of your little '_play-date'_."

Choking slightly on her cheeseburger, Barbara decided to just ignore—or rather _avoid_—the implication behind Bette last statement.

Uncle Pete smiled as he watched Bette tease Barbara, and he couldn't help but urge it on a little. "Oh? Is that how it is?" he began with a laugh, "I never realized that red-heads were attracted to their own kind."

"Ooo, so he's ginger too?" Bette asked excitedly, before turning back to Barbara and adding with a snicker, "Maybe you shouldn't go for him after all. Your lovechild would probably be mistaken for a leprechaun, what with your height and all."

Now _that_ did the trick. Barbara's face flushed over completely, her eyes shooting sparks. She fumed and whipped her head around to stare Uncle Pete down, killing intent resonating off of her in waves. _She's… really getting good at that Bat glare,_ the diner owner thought to himself, _I think that's my cue to leave._ "Oh? I believe I just heard a customer calling me. You two enjoy your meal!" He gave a small chuckle and walked quickly away from the table before the Bat could strike.

Barbara began to inhale her smoothie at lightning speed, trying to cool her face—and her temper—down a notch. She did her best to eradicate the image created by Bette's teasing from her brain, but without much success. Setting her smoothie down, she looked her giggling friend straight in the eye. "I really hate you sometimes, you know that?"

The blonde just laughed and gave her a sweet smile, "You know you could never hate me, Babs." That much was true; Barbara definitely could never hate Bette, although she had plenty of reasons to be jealous of her. She was older than Barbara, taller than Barbara, curvier than Barbara, and in short, far more beautiful than Barbara could ever hope to be. But despite having such incredible looks, Bette never let it go to her head like the other pretty rich brats at their school. She was always kind and helpful, calm and collected. It wasn't just an act; she sincerely cared for the well-being of others, and that is what Barbara admired her for the most.

"_So,_" insisted Bette, pulling Barbara back out of her thoughts, "Are you going to tell me about this red-head or not?"

Barbara stared down into her half-empty glass and played with her straw as she started her story, "Well, do you remember Green Arrow's old sidek—uh, _partner_?" The idea of being referred to as something a little less demeaning than 'sidekick' was starting to grow on her.

Bette looked a little puzzled at the random change in words, but seemed to decide against asking about it. "Green Arrow's? Um…" She paused just a second before her eyes began to sparkle and an excited grin swept across her face. "Oh! You mean Speedy? Wait, as in _the_ Speedy? Like, the 'so-smoking-hot-that-I-just-want-to-take-him-home-and-rip-off-his-shirt-and-stroke-his-gorgeous-muscles-all-night' Speedy? And you're telling me that you not only met that delicious hunk of man, but also that he's staying here in Gotham now?" She stopped to stare at Barbara incredulously, her mouth slightly agape, before finishing, "And _you forgot to tell me?"_

Her friend's final sentence hit a sore spot in Barbara's heart. "Welcome to my world," she mumbled quietly as she recalled saying the exact same thing as Bette when Speedy explained Robin's situation to her. She slumped forward and rested her head on one hand, but continued to play with her straw with the other. "Yeah, well, that 'hunk of man' is more like a 'hunk of meat'. That muscular idiot actually dared to go out into the back streets of Gotham _after midnight_ wearing _bright red_. Bright. Red. He's an idiot! He stood out more than a traffic light!"

"I like red," Bette supplied, slowly spooning her mashed potatoes into her mouth, "It reminds me of flames dancing in a fireplace. If I were a hero, I'd definitely wear red too."

"Really not helping, Bette."

"Eheh… sorry. So, how did you run into him? And why is he here in Gotham?"

"I saved his ass from a bunch of thieving gang-bangers," Barbara replied simply before starting on her own mashed potatoes. "As for why he's here," she frowned in thought as she continued, "That's a little more complicated. Barbara explained to Bette what Speedy had told her about Robin and his new team. It was hard to shorten the entire thing down to just a few minutes, but she managed it somehow. "And so, that's how it is," Barbara finished with a sigh, "Speedy wanted to follow his own path and make his own name in this world, so he came here where he wouldn't be found as easily. And I assume that Dick is off with his 'team' right now, although the camping part is debatable."

"I understand now," said Bette through a mouthful of potato, carelessly waving her empty fork through the air as she spoke, "Well, mostly. What I still don't get is what Dick is thinking. I mean, he didn't tell you a single thing about this. Speedy, a hero known for his cold and cynical attitude, explained everything that happened without hesitation despite having only known you for less than an hour. And all the while, Dick, your _partner_, has been blocking you out for the past couple months." Bette paused to take a bite into her burger before finishing, "When someone you don't know trusts you more than your childhood friend, you _know_ there's something wrong with your relationship."

Barbara sighed. Bette was one hundred percent correct, as always.

"So anyway, back to the archer," Bette started again before her friend had a chance to zone out in thought, "After meeting him face to face, even _you_ have to admit that he's hot, right?"

"Meh. He's not bad on the eyes, I guess."

Bette looked disappointed in the response. "Really. Seriously? Not bad on the eyes? That's _all_? Come on, Barbara, be a girl for once in your life and admit it! I mean, you said it yourself, he has absolutely _gorgeous_ arms!"

The red head scowled. "Excuse me? I _am_ a girl! I just don't freak out over every muscle-bound idiot out there playing hero." She looked out the window at the swarm of people bustling down the streets. "Well," she said finally after a long silence, "He _does_ have a beautiful smile. _That_, I definitely can't deny." The corners of her lips rose slightly as she absentmindedly stared out the store window. "He should really smile more. He looks a lot better that way…"

Bette gave a small scoff at Barbara's final comment, "This coming from Count Scowls-a-lot's sidekick." Then she froze with realization. "Babs," she said slowly, "Did you just say 'smile'?"

Confusion clouded Barbara's expression. "Well, yeah. He's got a really nice laugh too. Why is it so surprising that I said the word 'smile'?"

"Because Speedy doesn't smile. Ever," she replied, her eyes staring deep into Barbara's, "And… did you just say that you heard him laugh too?"

Barbara could feel her face getting warmer.

A grin crept across Bette's features. "Interesting…"

"Oh shut up!"

Suddenly, a buzz resonated from Bette's backpack, startling Barbara. The blonde giggled at her friend's reaction and searched around in her bag for the source of the vibration. "Well now, getting a little jumpy, aren't we, Babs?" she laughed as she pulled out her phone and studied the screen, "Seems like my mom has guests coming over for dinner and she wants me to help get the place ready. Sorry, Babs." She returned her phone to its pocket and packed up her books. She stood up to leave, but first gave Barbara a wink and told her, "We'll just have to finish this conversation tomorrow."

"Yeah no. Don't count on it."

* * *

><p>Strangely enough, patrol that night was eerily quiet. There wasn't much gang activity going on and Batgirl had only needed to take down two car thieves so far that night. She sat on the ledge of one of Gotham's tallest buildings, looking out over the brightly lit city. To her left stood one of the four gargoyles that guarded the office building, looking as worn and menacing as ever. Barbara sometimes wondered if these guys' purpose wasn't to protect the city as they had always learned in school, but rather, to keep heroes like her company when there is no one else to turn to. They're good listeners, and because they can't move, they're always there for her. And gargoyles have a lot in common with Bats. They constantly guard this city, even though they have no reason to. They stay in the shadows, perched on the roofs as they watch on unnoticed.<p>

Barbara's ears picked up the shrill trill of a store alarm, abruptly breaking through the peaceful silence that hung in the air. _There you are, troublemakers, _Barbara thought with a smirk,_ I've been waiting for you._ Leaping from the ledge, she flew through the air as she moved from roof to roof, following the sound of the alarm. Landing firmly on a low level building, she watched on as two identical costumed crooks shoveled the shelves of jewelry into large brown sacks. _Okay, cliché much?_ Barbara gave a heavy sigh. Gotham's villains were really getting unoriginal these days. _At least Harley and Ivy make things interesting._

She leapt from the rooftop and landed firmly only a few feet away from the smashed glass windows of the shop. The goons knotted their sacks and turned to make their escape before the cops could show up. They were so ecstatic with themselves for managing such a big haul that they failed to notice the Bat right outside the door until they nearly walked into her. The one in front gave a sharp yelp and scurried back, nearly knocking over his colleague. Then they froze, looked her up and down, and broke into a fit of guffaws.

"Well hey there, little lady," snickered one of the twins in a thick southern accent, "That's a preeetty nice costume ya got there. Actually thought you was Batman for a second." The two burst into another howl of laughter. Barbara was starting to lose her patience. With a flick of her wrist, she whipped out two batarangs and propelled them at the cackling twosome. They yelped as the hard metal made contact with the relatively soft muscles in their hands, and the bags of jewels hit the ground with a noisy clatter.

Batgirl sighed. "Can't you guys just go put those back and turn yourselves in? It would save all of us a lot of time."

The crooks took a hesitant step back, but did not retreat. "Who do ya think you are messin' with our fun, little lady?" one of them fumed.

"The bat that's gonna beat your butt, that's who," she grumbled menacingly, patience just about shot, "Last chance; turn yourselves in or I'll turn you in myself, only if I do it, the police will have a few wounds to patch up before shipping you off to your cells."

The crooks glanced at their spoils and then back up at her, their faces morphing from annoyed anger to a sort of mischievous smirk. "Oh, so little Batty wants ta play? A'righty then." Their images began to blur, and suddenly the two distorted silhouettes became four, then eight. When the twins came back into focus, they were no longer twins; they were octuplets. They all grinned in sync, a toothy smile in every direction Batgirl turned. "Let's play, little lady," they snickered in surround sound, "There's no backing out n—OWW!"

Batgirl cut his gloating short with a firm punch to the jaw of one of the copies, sending it flying backwards into the street. With a heavy sigh she stepped back into the middle of the circle and readjusted her glove. "Come on guys," she called out to her enemy as they all stared in shock at the speed of her strike, "At least _try_ to make this a little more interesting. I'm gonna get bored _real_ fast if you just let me take you all out one by one."

_Now_ they looked pissed. Or… _he_ looked pissed? Barbara was fairly certain that they were all just a single person and not a duo as she had originally suspected.

The villain cracked his knuckles, copies following suit, then pointed at Batgirl and yelled, "GET 'ER, BOYS!"

Barbara raised her guard once again, prepared for the battle. "Just try it."


End file.
